Transcripts For CSPAN2 House Rules Committee Holds Meeting On Spending Bills 20170905

Have andy barr, maxine waters, matt gaines, ted and karen. Thank you, we are glad that youre here we will allow each of you to give testimony without objecting anything, if you make an order will be ended into the record. I miss waters, well have you first and the gentleman knows the green light is on. Thank you very much mr. Chairman. I would like to commend you and the rules Committee Members for allowing all of us to come before you to share with you our concerns and help shine a light on where we think we should be paying more attention. So, the testimony of have today will combine a number of the areas you talked about. Thank you. If you could do us a favor and tell us that section and the amendment number, it will enable us to follow you perhaps a bit more closely and that would be of help to the committee. Okay. Let me try and do that now. I think that you did venture transportation. Is that right . Yes. That we are doing today. Transportation and agriculture. Say that again . Transportation, agriculture, state department and homeland. Okay think that the one i have included in heres transportation. The other mentions are in other areas. Basically the tiger funding, the spend bill is part of my testimony today. Okay. Thank you mr. Chairman and Ranking Members for this opportunity to testify in my amendments to this larger omnibus spending package. Mr. Chairman, rather than considering a bill the senate will not take up, we should focus on realistic approaches to solving serious and time sensitive issues facing our country. Raising the debt ceiling, funding admit jin see me needs and in texas and louisiana in the wake of Hurricane Harvey. Reauthorizing the National Flood Insurance Program ending homelessness and protecting daca. We are just 11 legislative days away to reauthorize the National Flood Insurance Program which helps provide muchneeded financing for families in the aftermath of storms like harvey. But the hearts has failed to pass a bipartisan bill to reauthorize the program. In fact, the committee on Financial Services my chairman has only put forward a highly controversial bill which all democrats and one republican opposed. That raises costs on policy holders, and opens the door to cherry picking by the private sector. The nf ip is too important to the millions of policyholders thousands of community sensors across the country to allow ideological crusades. Thats why i and other Committee Democrats have introduced the amendment to introduce nf ip for one year which is the longest term we could offer to this appropriations bill. I advocate for a longerterm reauthorization but believe we must take every opportunity to raise this issue. Particularly in light of the devastation caused by Hurricane Harvey and with Hurricane Irma threatening to strike the United States we should come together to do the right thing and assure Families Communities and businesses are protected. This funding bill is an inadequate response to the dire needs of our country. The drastic cuts will create suffering for whole communities, increase poverty, hunger and homelessness and reduce Economic Development opportunities across the nation. It provides far less than what is needed to address the homelessness crisis. That is why am offering an amendment to add an additional 5 billion to the homeless Assistance Grant over and above what you have included to more fully address the needs of our homeless neighbors in america. By providing this emergency release funding we can provide new resources to the communities and resources whod desperately needed in the richest country in the world. Its unconscionable that half of my neighbors across the country are living in a place without a place to call home. I also have an amendment to directly benefit indirectly benefit any white house officials. Media white house confirms that present trump in his sudden line have partial owners it stakes in Certain Properties that receive hud subsidies. These are also reported to be in substantial disrepair. The means present trump and his family have financial interest in those programs that contribute to their properties. Congress should do its part to eliminate the potential for these conflicts to occur. I also submitted two amendments to the transportation section. Both of these restore funding for the Tiger Program which was eliminated in the house version. Tiger formally known says transportation generating it creates jobs by Funding Investments in transportation, infrastructure by states, local government entrance agencies. One amendment provides 550 million. This is the same amount provided by the senate and the other bill. The other amendment provides 7. 5 billion for tiger in order to jumpstart Infrastructure Investment and create jobs nationwide. The American Society of Civil Engineers gave u. S. Infrastructure and overall grade of d in 2017, and estimated the United States will need to invest 4. 5 trillion by 2025 to improve the condition of the nations infrastructure and bring it to a state of good repair. Investment in transportation infrastructure is needed in communities across the United States. I request you make these amendments so we can have a full debate about these pressing issues. I thank you for indulging the fact that i did not fully comply with your request to focus on those areas you identified. Its just that i had them all together. I appreciate your patience. Yes man. Im delighted you took time to come up. I am sorry we a few minutes late. Mr. Barr. Thank you mr. Chairman. I appreciate the opportunity to address the rules committee. I stand before you to provide amendment 46. This is a proposed amendment to the transportation hud appropriations portion of the bill. As you know, manufactured homes are the only form of non subsidized housing that are directly regulated by hud and statues dictates hud is required to facilitate the availability of affordable manufactured homes to increase homeownership for all americans. Regulation is important, all too often theyve had contradictory regulations on housing which is important to many Congressional Districts, particularly mind where manufactures home happen to be one of the best Affordable Housing options for role kentucky people. Implementing rule that not unnecessarily limit Consumer Choice and increase costs. As the primary regulator of manufactured housing, hud should work with industry, not against future regulations are streamlined, costeffective, and applied fairly and transparently while also working to keep manufactured housing as an alternative for allamerican families. My limitation amendment would fix three problems were huds regulation exceeds an at times contradicts statutes. These problems are intrusive installation programs. A burdensome, shifting guidelines on alternative construction. Is the primary regulator of the design and construction of manufactures home inside the factory. However, the regulation of the installation of the homes is intended to be done at the state and local level. Despite this, hud initiated efforts to regulate all manufactured homes in areas of the country susceptible of frost regardless of state administrative agencies. Without evidence that the systems are failing, hud is limiting the ability of states to administer their own installation programs. Hud is signaling it plans to intrude on other areas of installation. It appears to be intended to emplace the state system that is working with a onesizefitsall federal approach which is unnecessary, burdensome. Effective september 2017 they cover many amenities including french doors. In finalizing the road, it appears hud did not assess the cost associated with the expanded design of approval and inspection requirements for homes that are substantially complete when they leave the factory. The role increases costs by requiring unnecessary new inspections, create a new Record Keeping requirements and delay movein for consumers. It has caused manufactures to no longer offer these popular amenities, decreasing choice for consumers. Theres a consensus that had requiring alternative construction for homes is inconsistent with the letter the purpose of the hud code. Earlier hud expanded the interpretation of the june 2014 guidance letter to include designs of carport ready homes. The action creates an unnecessary and time consuming effort to manufactured homes reduces the availability of this popular feature. Because of insufficient notice there manufactured housing plants across the country with tens of millions of dollars of backlogged orders. Thank you for listening to why am offering this important limitation amendment. Addressing these issues immediately will help mitigate the ongoing impact there have been on access to Affordable Housing across america, particularly in rural america. Congress must Work Together to eliminate impediments to the Housing Market so all americans have access to Affordable Housing. With that, i yield. Thank you thank you mr. Chair for the opportunity to testify before you today. The main focus of my amendment is stick require the faa to provide resources to reduce air traffic noise. Did you tell us which section, division this is in and what the appropriate number is, sorry . Section eight of hud. It is a late amendment, 42 and 43. There are several others, do them all at once . As you address them if you can focus on that i would appreciate it. Okay, the other one focus on one and then give us that. So we are under 41 is out you said. 42, 43. Several years ago congress directed the faa to adopt nextgeneration technology that would better track airplanes and make routes a firm are efficient. From the beginning, we are promised these changes would yield cleaner and quieter error operations. This is been operated and eight metro area so far resulting in prolonged misery from noise for thousands of people in my district. The faa reports fuel savings and other benefits of the program but has discounted the economic harm and Health Effects suffered by people on the ground. Phoenix, d. C. And Northern California were some of the earliest areas affected and they have been vocal about the noise problems. Last week the d. C. Circuit court of appeals acknowledged the faa do not pan enough attentions of the effects of the projects on the ground. The Southern California metro project includes a major portion of my district. Since day one, full implementation my constituents have been crying out for relief from the onslaught of noise. Those involved in filming which is in the Major Economic driver my district reported the constant noise makes it impossible to use some locations including movie studios that are located directly under the flightpath. Lines of Health Studies document the harm to health for elevated noise levels. Noise can have devastating effects on developing children, the ill, and the elderly. Today, im offering amendments to provide both carrots and sticks to reduce their plane noise. The next few amendments, 44 and 45 and 46. First, we have existing technologies that can be used now to reduce some noise that planes make especially during takeoff and landing. I have proposed both incentives to encourage their use and a mandate that they support the development and implementation of these technologies. Second, we should be sure not to overlook new technologies just because it comes from a Small Business. Finally, the u. S. Lags behind most of the industrial world in dealing with the Health Effects of noise in a population. The current faa noise standard is set at a high level that is not supported by health research. Plenty of u. S. And International Research and we should assess that information to make sound decisions of health. Congress must take action increasing airline the efficiency must not a cannot require the sacrifice of health and wellbeing of those on the ground. I yield the back. For the Committee Members, this was not included in your packet as the amendment arrived later so that is why i was looking for it. I appreciate it. Thank you. I apologize for being unprepared on that matter. I will now look at it as we approach this. I think you for taking time for not only presenting your amendment and ideas, but coming forth today. Thank you. Welcome to the rules committee. Thank you mr. Chairman. [inaudible] i asked how many schools funded are directly or indirectly of taxpayers. I knew the answer was 34, but the answer i got he did indicate this was as sad reflection of history. He said we inside, they incite. The reality that today american taxpayers are funding a strategy by kneading tools as some of the most despicable we have ever lived is frustrating. This removes for palestinian schools. It does not text people in my district and throughout the country the continue to fund money overseas for the directed amended purpose. I will go through a few examples. Okay of speaking a microphone that works. One example is an example of a lady who is preparing to detonate a suicide bomb in tel aviv, israel. It exploded and killed her instead. Today, her biographies glorified on the walls outside to schools in areas controlled by the authority. Schools are taught that she is the model of a patriotic woman. Led the coastal road massacre by hijacking a bus. She killed 37 people including 12 children and injured another 70. Three schools are named after her. Two students at attending a school were interviewed and they said, she is a great leader. Our mothers gives birth to thousands like her. She walks among us and im personally proud to attend the school. The second girl said, my lifes ambition is to reach the level of the martyr fighter. Khalil, head of the terrorist organization military wing planned attacks that killed over 125 israelis, five schools are named after him. Another plan the murder of 11 israeli athletes at the munich olympics and the murder of two american diplomats in the sudan and 73. Four schools are named after him. Abdullah was cofounder of al qaeda and trained alongside osama bin laden. In Elementary School for boys is named in his honor. Head of the military in the 60s but attacks on four israeli towns, a high school for girls carries his name. I mean was a nazi collaborator, during world war ii moved to berlin where he served as a hitler associate. In yugoslavia they designate him a war criminal. When not is offered free some jew children he prohibited the release resulting in 5000 children being sent to gas chambers. In Elementary School is named after him. Another nazi operative was sent during world war ii to poison the water supply in british controlled areas in the tel aviv. Two schools are named after him. Mr. Chairman, im not against education, i believe the future in the middle east depends on the purveying of inclusive values. I cannot sit here and allow us to not even consider an amendment that would remove u. S. Funding for those schools where we are not engaged into pedagogy and values. Where we have the admission that the schools are named after these terrorists for purpose of incitement. And for that reason i respectfully ask that you consider amendment 41. Thank you very much. I appreciate that. Thank you mr. Chairman. I think the committee as well. This is the transportation Section Division h amendment number 83. My amendment would eliminate a 900 milliondollar allocation to the gateway project which is a 30 billiondollar upgrade of an amtrak rail ray between newark and new york city. This would go to National News stars allowing projects in california, maryland, minnesota and washington and let them have a shot at 400 million in funding and helping projects get a chance at funding. At this point, all of the new start monday would go to the gateway project, a past project. The other half, 474 million will go to deficit reduction. Gateway is a 30 billiondollar project. The math of sticking that 30 billion into a 2. 4 billion a Year Grant Program doesnt add up. The gateway allocation is 325 million over the authorization level for the state of good repair count. New jersey canceled a similar project in 2010 because of cost overruns. The fees collected to enhance the newark new jersey tunnel was diverted into the Transportation Trust fund. This is widely credited with enabling the state to keep its a gasoline tax among the lowest in the country until 2016. Amtrak has stepped in to lead the tunnel upgrade. Cost estimate has gone from a . 7 billion to 13 billion. Governor christie said at the time of cancellation, i made a pledge to the people of new jersey that i my watch i want a lot of taxpayers to Fund Projects that run over budget with no way of how these costs will be paid for. We should apply the same standard to the federal taxpayer. Thats the type of amendment we should be debating on the house floor. It is anything but a poison pill. All support the final bill regardless of whether my amendment was adopted but i hope leadership lives up to the commitment made at the beginning and rules my amendment in order. I think the committee, and i yield back. Thank you. I appreciate you being here. Mr. Gates, that was the most interesting discussion about your not only deliberative effort to see, following look at where money that the United States taxpayers spends it but a followup task the question to see how proud people are for what they stand for. While its a sad commentary, i think we should take note. Thank you very much. Thank you mr. Chairman. I want to test the gentleman from kentucky, what is the motivation that hud has . I havent trace these things is there a safety concern, is there an issue of states who failed around these environments . It is my view that a state regulator which says in minnesota or michigan is closer to the people there and understands the climate and is custom to regulating is in a better position to make sure these manufactured homes accommodates the particular climate. As opposed to a onesizefitsall that in georgia the procedure should be different frankly so we want to go back to the statute which is, hud having jurisdiction of the housing. So federal standards area. As i said at the beginning of this hearing i think we need to return to regular order in and that when it comes to the appropriations bill that means all the rules for all germane amendments. Im going to vote for an open rule and if that passes you have to but if it doesnt you are at the mercy of these guys so thank you very much and i yield back. I thank you and by the way let me once again the knowledge before not just your birthday but i want to thank all the members of our staff who are taking time to be here today. Its easy to forget when we get to the hand and as the morning and return to get out of here want to thank everyone for their hard work and your hard work even notwithstanding your feelings about this. You still have to do your homework. I dont know what we are doing. But what im suggesting to you is even if you you still did your homework and i appreciate that very much. Judge hastings the birthday gentleman your wreck it nice. This do we know its ready for spurs 81st birthday . 81 today. I think he makes it look pretty good. In light of that mr. Chair all the hurrahs from the staff. Thank you very much. The gentleman from colorado, good to see you. I wish her month at home . [inaudible] mr. Cheney. I want to thank each of you not only for being here, i know that your work, europe and misrepresent ideas that have substance to them and mrs. Bass i am in particular intrigued by and want to see the viewpoint of your ideas. I have offered for some time feedback through an airport that is close to my house that i did not necessarily bother me but did bother other people and we had to work at that. I did work with a huge number of people and found that the company was called Southwest Airlines and Southwest Airlines not only works well with us but even the ceo, gentleman named gary kelly came personally involved in the issue, was thoughtful about it and instead of us doing things that would cause necessarily a fight i think mr. Kelly and the mayor of the town met and found a way to hear back and so look to your amendment but i dont know the model that you followed. Thats the model that i followed of trying to actually work with them and getting them to understand and see a lot of things and it turned out well at least for the people who were seeking competence in that working relationship so i want to thank you all for taking the time to be here. If you will please remember our awesome stenographer would like to get anything that you presented in writing. It allows her to get all the correct things she has to translate texting occasionally and sometimes from Worcester Massachusetts but you have a chance to help us out it would be appreciated and i want to thank you very much. Okay we are now going to go to panel number three. Panel number three would be mr. Mitchell. Welcome, paul the gentleman from florida chairman buchanan the gentlewoman from california barbara lee, the gentleman my dear friend mr. Schiff from california also. I believe he is still here. Mr. Chairman may i be added to this panel . And the gentleman from colorado. You decide where you want to sit im going to sit here. All right. I want to welcome this panel to the rules committee. Thank you very much for taking your evening to come and be with us. I would reiterate if i can to the offices are the members that are listening to us we are opening up with testimony for transportation, agriculture Homeland Security divisions of the appropriations bills. We plan to conclude these testimonies and considerations this evening. If you have an amendment for any other section we ask that you please make yourself available and we will have, holds her testimony until 2 00 tomorrow when we reconvene so that provides members and their staffs feedback on how we intend to operate. We are delighted that you are here. Anything that you have in writing will be entered into the record. Without objection we will do that. The gentlewoman does appreciate you leave behind what you came with. Ms. Lee we are glad that you are with us. As you know your consideration of the rules committee to put on advanced is appreciated and the gentlewoman is recognized. Thank you mr. Chairman. Good to be back in thanking members for giving us a chance to present testimony on our amendments to h. R. 3354. I will be offering several amendments to this bill which i respectfully urge you to make an order. Let me begin with division g. This is the state operation related program which i mired to serve on the as a subcommittee member im offering to amendments that would strike the bill very harmful prohibition on funding for the United Nations population fund. Amendment number 77 strikes funding for unfpa and would allow contributions to the program. My 2nd amendment lee 78 strikes a prohibition on unfpa unfpa funding that it introduced both of these amendments along with representatives slaughter, bera crowley angle quickly franklin maloney. In fiscal years 2017 congress appropriated 32. 5 alley in dollars to unfpa and in the calendar year 2016 we provided an additional 38 million to respond to crises like saberi and civil war or famine refugee crises and other humanitarian disasters. In may of last year and recently had traveled to ghana west africa to examine u. S. , cooperation on Global Health issues. The United States has been supporting ghanas efforts for 60 years mind you during which time improvements in maternal and child have been significant all of the help of the United States bilateral Family Planning and United Nations Family Planning account. In ghana i will never forget the unfpa timely center which is transform the lives of obstetrics survivors from treating victims of violence to providing hygiene and humanitarian crises settings unfpa is working with partners and some of the most dangerous places to get care to those who need it the most. In 2016 unfpas work diverted more than 3 million unsafe abortions and prevented 29,000 maternal deaths. These amazing achievements are even more remarkable because they occur in the most difficult circumstances. Let me make it clear none of these funds are used for abortion. Unfpa does not fund or provide abortions anywhere in the world. This is the policy which i totally disagree with but its the current policy. Congress has consistently allotted funds to and United States was instrumental in establishing a program. That was in 1969. Unfortunately some president s have withheld funds based on purely political ideology and this year unfortunately its no different. Funding for unfpa was ended on march 30 after the state department made a political decision. This decision hurt women and children around the world. Unfpa is needed now more than ever. The world is witnessing the most serious refugee crisis i think since world war ii. This is the most serious one as famine and conflict continued put the lives of millions of women and girls at risk risk. Just last week again i was in ghana and also nigeria and the mets with some of the young ladies who had escaped and from boko haram or release them im telling you they need our help and they need it badly. Unfpa funding would be a tremendous asset for them. Maintaining u. S. Funding for unfpa programs critical to improving the health of women and their families in supporting the United States goal to and preventable maternal and child deaths locally. I ask for your consideration for this amendment. My next amendment is division e or the Homeland Security appropriations bill. Lee amendment number 45 to which i respectfully urge you to make in order would codify existing United States immigration and Customs Enforcement and customs and Border Protection policies which ban raids and enforcement activity and sensitive locations unless there is a warrant for the individual in question. This amendment would also expand the ban on raids in courtrooms and other locations like congressional offices. I have offered this amendment along with representatives jose rondeau and judy chu. This amendment failed on a partyline vote when i offered it during full committee however i believe its increasingly necessary to continue to have the conversation on immigration especially now in light of the president s decision to and daca today. Mr. Chairman i. C. E. Is created unwarranted fear in our community especially for immigrants. Families and entire communities are afraid to go out of their houses in fear of i. C. E. Picking them up and deporting them. The los angeles recently i. C. E. Picked up my father a father who is taking his 13yearold girl to school in my district in the bay area. I heard from my constituents and they are deeply terrified. Children are free to go to school. Families should not have to fear leaving their homes to merely go outside and do normal eye cavities but that is what is currently taking place. Thats why we must guarantee that i. C. E. And cbd will not conduct raids and sensitive locations. One must also expand protections and raids currently identified such as schools and Health Care Facilities places of worship religious or Civil Ceremonies or observances in public demonstrations and thats exactly what my amendment would do. In El Paso Texas i. C. E. Officers also detained a Domestic Violence victim when she walked into a courtroom to get a protective order against her abuser. This is unacceptable. Everyone deserves justice and their day in court especially our most vulnerable. Previous i. C. E. Enforcement actions in court houses have already resulted in fewer victims reporting crimes like Domestic Violence and sexual assault. This misguided antiimmigrant policy ramping up enforcement will only serve to alienate communities and deter immigrants from cooperating with Law Enforcement and actually reporting dangerous individuals to authorities. The public is not safer when immigrants fear their government and Law Enforcement. Quite the opposite. I hope my colleagues will understand why this amendment is so important and i ask for you to make this one and order also. My next amendment is lee 42 which would fully fund the United States Interagency Council on homelessness. This amendment is supported and sponsored by myself congress and hastings congresswoman waters gomez bonamici mccollum and quigley. This amendment is number 42 and it would increase funding to the United States Interagency Council and homelessness to 3. 6 million which is really the same as fiscal year 17. This amendment is offset with funds from the hud i. T. Account. It would also eliminate the sunset date to keep it open beyond september 30, 2018. As we all know homelessness is a complex and multifaceted problem that cannot be solved by any single agency, level of government, sector or system onto some big United States Interagency Council on homelessness also known as brings together multiple federal agencies to improve collaboration and to ensure resources are not duplicated. It also works with counsel to share best practices that leverage limited local resources to help as many families as possible. The council may not provided direct service but their work ensures that organizations which do provide services or using their dollars efficiently and effectively. Since 2010 the councils work has helped reduce homelessness by an astounding 14 at their work is not yet over. More than half a million americans are experiencing homelessness throughout all of our districts. This yearlong homelessness increased to 13 states and the district of columbia. My home state of California Base of the largest in crease of individuals experiencing homelessness a staggering increase of nearly 2500 but keeping the council is critically important when the americas in the middle of an Affordable Housing crisis and we have more than 46 million americans living in poverty. Unfortunately this bill woefully out of funds will which is really acceptable. I would hope you would consider funding for this council. We have this offset for the increase and the elimination of the son said date so thank you again for the opportunity to offer my amendment and i ask you take up this important amendment. Thank you very much ms. Lee. We are going to need to make sure ms. Lee if you could help them out with that whole. Will will the gym on mr. Mccann actually called me today so if this is about the amendment. Thank you mr. Chairman want to thank the committee and offer an amendment with the partnership of my colleague ed royce who couldnt be here tonight and want to be here to maintain a federal ban on ban on horse slaughter and United States which has been in place for nearly a decade. Due to the strict funding no horse slaughters operations occur in united the United States since 2007. Back Congress Review the band four months ago under the Government Spending bill. My amendment would repent for slaughter facilities by prohibiting federal funding for health and safety inspectors required by law and all the processing plants. We must ensure these plants remain close in order to protect american horses. Mr. Chairman slaughter of horses for human consumption is a barbaric practice that must and. Horse slaughter is not necessary for maintaining wilder domestic horse populations together include the dash donating to a rescue organization therapeutic programs or a mounted police unit. Promoting the human treatment of horses should be a bipartisan issue important to all of us. I want to thank the committee for their consideration of my amendment. Mr. Buchanan stated it very well. This is a longstanding policy we recently renewed a few months ago. It has a number of implications not just something the majority of the American Public supports and has been routinely part of the reparations process in the past. Slaughtering horses for human consumption has Serious Health implications not just the people are opposed to it but there are hundreds of substances that are used in the treatment of horses that have serious negative consequences for human health. There are no tests involved to be able to make sure those protections are in place. I would respectfully request that there is support and this bipartisan amendment admittedly been working with in chairman royce and a number of our other colleagues. Derek 25,000 Animal Welfare organizations around the country some of the most passionate are those dealing with the treatment of horses and i would respect to a request that we deal with this in terms of human health in terms of public support and in terms of continuity of policy. Thank you. I think the gentleman. Mr. Schiff. Thank you mr. Chairman and members i appreciate the opportunity to discuss to a minnesota woman Security Division and h. R. 3354. My First Amendment number 41 would simply prohibits federal funds of the bill are being used to deporting individuals granted deferred action and the deferred action for childhood arrivals are daca program. For many dreamers americas only home they have ever known brought across the border by their families when they were only children. More than half of them younger than six years old but. These young people grown up in america gone to school in america and made plans for their futures in america. They have gone to school pay their taxes served in the military and done everything right. They are as american as anyone else in every way except in writing but that the president s action threatens all of that. When the daca program was created america made a promise to the streamers that they would be protected now hundreds of thousands of young people left wondering what the future will hold for them and whether they will be taken away from france familys jobs and communities. We cant passively sit by while families are torn apart. Must pass legislation to grant legal status under those covered under daca but we must pass as a man which would prohibit funds ready grant deferred action under daca but does not remove the need for legislation to grant permanent status or Work Authorization but it would have the very least provide confidence that they will not be rounded up and sent back to countries that they do not know. My 2nd amendment number 122 would prohibit the secret Service Funds entities owned or operated by the president or his immediate family. According to usa today the president s familys frequent visits to locations owned by the Trump Organization have put an unprecedented strain on the secret Services Budget and manpower are based on estimates of comparable travel from previous administrations each visit to the Trump Organization location by the president and his family cost an estimated 3 million to taxpayers did much of this money is paid to the Trump Organization itself including a substantial amount for things like rental golf carts and an estimated cost of 60,000 alone to taxpayers. The president has the right to vacation wherever you would like even if it puts a strain, financial strain on the secret service that no president has the right to prophet by forcing the government to patronize his own businesses let alone our nations protective services. I urge the committee to make this amendment in order to protect the american taxpayer into a insist on a financial propriety when it comes to the highest office in the land. With that i think you and i yield back. Thank the gentleman. The gentleman from colorado is also sitting with you today. Thank you. This is a state where we get all of our amendments allowed, right mr. Chair . This is the perfect seat. Thats a different seat. You have to be in the sea. Mr. Acting chair and members of the committee and here for several amendments that im the sponsor and cosponsor of ehrsam and its 1960 division e babies are to amendments that offered alongside mr. Quigley. They are semibecause they find a better use for money that is currently slated to go for a necessary funding for i. C. E. Enforcement. The First Amendment 19 would reallocate axes funding for i. C. E. To be used for the dhs office of Inspector General and the office of civil rights and Civil Liberties we can take money and access of what eyes requested and use it to fund the internal watchdog at a time when they are coming under fire across the country that the 2nd amendment quickly number 60 is a step in ensuring the demilitarization of state and local police forces. A program to enable state and local Law Enforcement to enter into agreements with i. C. E. But i think thats a very easy concept mixing i. C. E. With local police creates a culture of fear and increases crime rather than decreases crime by hurting the trust people have in their own police force. Its a strong step towards helping immigrant communities fill safer and nonimmigrant communities be safer is ursid committees order. In addition of offered amendment 61 which would cut i. C. E. s budget by 100 million face those funds into Mitigation Funds which prior toys to write things for our country instead of throwing good money after bad. We cant afford to continue wasting money beyond what the agency says they need when we have real needs and one of those real needs is the Mitigation Fund which is particular important because its the only mitigation Grant Program to address multiple hazards incredibly important western states to address and reduce risks like wildfires erosion debris flows and landslides affecting my district and others across the western United States for this Program Awards planning in program to states without reducing future losses before disaster strikes rather than after soule. We could minimize damage stay safe and save money. These previous Disaster Mitigation grants reduce the need for disaster that rations save money and save lives in a recent study on mitigation activity Shows Americans save approximate 4 for every dollar in vested in preDisaster Mitigation and that 61 division e. Also an important one, this is a funding restriction to prevent government top again to against many aspiring americans and thats amendment 21 division e. This would prohibit any funding of the bill from going towards president trumps executive orders to establish the victims of immigration Engagement Office better known as voice. Those were the victims of crimes whether they are the victims of crimes committed buy american citizens by green cardholders are people here illegally all to serve our great sympathy. It is no better or no worse to have a crime committed against you regardless of the status of the perpetrator. Frankly this voice concept is an to victims of crime whose perpetrators are american citizens by somehow saying those crimes are not as bad and i would add the vast majority of crime victims are victimized buy american citizens, not by immigrants. Across the country immigrants have made many contributions to the wellbeing and safety of the community rather than demonizing a few bad individuals and their families we should celebrate the contributions to Public Safety of immigrants. Thats why started the National Task task force or saint to highlight stories of immigrants have contributed to our committees through heroic and lifesaving acts. The truth is hardworking immigrants by laser economy and make us safer and stronger. This import amendment 21 division e would eliminate voice of waste of taxpayer money that targets and stigmatizes criminals based exclusively on where they are from and we should condemn all criminals equally. Finally i wanted to address this hard sure amendment a implementing the pay Equity Program. The paper a program as part of this National School lunch act that passed in 2010 and theres legitimate disagreement about the legitimacy of the program couldnt hear to say the proper way to address this is not through appropriations and amendments. Were happy to take up the work of the committee to do a thoughtful look at the authorizing practices around the paid lunch Equity Program for this amendment is simply trying to do an end run around the authorizing role of the Education Workforce committee on a topic thats very important on how kids are eating and fed in schools. The markup related to School Nutrition i think numbers on both sides of the aisle of grade School Pictures and think its an important part of grade school education. Hungry child cant learn when they dont have a mail they dont know where their next those coming from but i welcome the conversation i would occur encourage amendment 6 not be allowed to decide like to see us go back to the Education Workforce committee. Its much more nuanced than a simple funding amendment. It will ensure there is no interruption in services for kids. Those are the amendments im testifying about and not be happy to yield for any questions. I thank the gentleman. This gentleman from michigan is recognized. Senate thank you mr. Chairman and thank you to the committees dedicated to hearing i come today to request your support in the approval of an amendment, amendment 10 division g at International Joint commission was developed and resolved by National Water distribution in the United States and canada. They can decline to address a critical issue for both nations for the canadian power come of these Ontario Power Generation is plans to build an underground Nuclear Waste depository along the shore of lake huron which borders my district. As ive long said said building a Nuclear Waste dump along the shore of lake huron or any great lake is nothing short of irresponsible that any failure at this site would have devastating attacks impacts on michigans great lakes basin and canada have both roland great lakes for drinking water, commerce and tourism paid since taking office i raised objections to the project was secretary of state tillerson to canadian officials in the leadership of opg thus far to no avail. The great lakes caucus has penned a letter to the Trump Administration expressing the same concerns. My amendment serves to further highlight the canadian government the urgency and gravity of this issue. This amendment would prohibit staff from participating or attending to and both Canadian Resources conference. Somewhat ironically named our common water future. Amendment demonstrates the canadian government denies that congress is going to escalate to prevent this unacceptable Nuclear Waste project along the shores of lake huron and i continue and the universal objections of my constituents, the constituents of the great lakes. This is a bipartisan concern. Will further drive such efforts in congress. A permanent Nuclear Waste Storage Facility along lake huron with poser pervasive and massive risk for hundreds of years. Its time for candidates to take the censors and it due consideration Protection Committee to rule this in order and i appreciate your hearing my request. I thank the gentleman. Questions . Ranking member. [inaudible] thank you. Thank you for being here. Your amendment is in order. Mr. Chairman i support making all the amendments in order and i specifically need to take a moment to personal privilege because i wont get an opportunity to see mike cochair for the delegation and talk business with him all the time but in light of ongoing circumstances with Hurricane Irma and jose following i would hope that we would convene a meeting appropriately if we do get hit so we can deal with our delegation. Appreciate that. On the further matters mr. Chairman im a cosponsor of the amendment that ms. Lee offered. As cochair of the Homeless Committee i cant help but emphasize the importance of keeping the ended United States interagency on consul of homelessness in place. In the Congressional District of ms. Frankel my colleague and myself there is a place called the lords place. They really do the lords work and they have repeatedly done things in the area of homelessness. I would ask my colleagues to ponder when we are taking money out of this kind of program, what are we saying to the Homeless Veterans and what are we saying to the bit dems of Human Trafficking who need bed space and somewhere along the line this becomes critically important. Mr. Mitchell just highlighted a measure. I was not aware of that matter but being a congressperson and dealing with freshwater issues constantly i am mindful just as at lake huron we have an inland lake okeechobee that is vital to us. If they were building such a facility that stood a chance of polluting lake okeechobee i would be up in arms. I join you my friend and being up in arms about what likely could happen at lake huron and turning again to mr. Buchanan and mr. Pomeroy, please know how important that measure is. I dont know what has happened in committee but i do know that chairman lloyd is supportive of this measure. My cochair of the florida delegation mentioned that horse slaughter is barbaric. Indeed it is in this something we should address. Ive said to him before i have a friend that deals with rescuing horses. Her name is victoria mccullough. She does an incredible job in that regard and im sure there are countless others. We shouldnt be about the kind of situation that allows for that and i begged this committee to make sure that this amendment reaches the floor. If it does reach the floor if it is as i request that believe many members will come to the same position that mr. Blumenauer and chairman buchanan have as well. In addition to that i havent spoken with you but ive spoken often with ms. Buchanan regarding dogs and cats and i have some legislation that deals with a festival in yulen china where it dogs, if you saw a six Minute Program that i showed you you cant help but have heartrending feelings regarding what transpires there. Mislead i was just in your neighborhood in San Francisco and i had an opportunity to meet Lisa Vanderpump who is the person that does the real housewives of beverly hills. She is a dog and horse lover and rescues dogs and the kind of people that folks dont Pay Attention to a lock about other parts of their lives. She is an incredible person, caring about animals and i as well as my colleague that has started clearly identified three amendments that he offers and i join him and my former committee mr. Schiff came on the committee and he is doing an incredible job and the measures that you have wrought out. I lived in one portion in the incredible cause of maintaining the present. Ive said and i say humorously but 50 years from now if he doesnt do Climate Change i promised him he wont have to worry about maralago because it wont be there. That is because but in the meantime we have the responsibility of funding his activities and his protection. Tell that and i think it is more than helpful. I will be an advocate for all of the amendments. Thank you mr. Chair. I very much thank the panel for being here. If you leave anything out in writing for our sonographer we will make sure that gets into the earth. Thank you very much. Im scanning the room for the next crowd of folks on the panel. I spot one, the gentlelady from texas. If there is any other member that wishes to be heard . I would welcome the gentlelady from texas tonight. I would ask the gentlelady to please designate the section of the amendment number of each amendment that she discusses. Anything in writing i would happy to have it entered into the record and welcome your comments. Thank you very much and thank you to the rules committee. We are not as late as we usually are but i know its late so i think the chairman and Ranking Member and all the members. Im here on a mission mr. Chairman. Im here on a mission having left our district in the region of texas and other disaster but i think it is wellknown. If you would bear with me and as they do so i want a moment of joy to say happy birthday to congressman hastings. He gets younger by the moment so im delighted of his youth but also his support. You want to thank all of my colleagues who made calls to us and i think the leadership included republicans and democrats. Im hopeful that we will have an opportunity to work on these matters together. I realize that we are doing a crunch if you will tomorrow but a number of my colleagues will be introducing dialogue in the midst of the operating Committee Approved creations a larger package of 180 billion which some tell me maybe lesson thats the whole reason. We also know that Hurricane Irma is headed in that direction so this is my amendment so i will speak mostly about dealing with Hurricane Harvey. I would just like to indicate that i am now testifying just 12 days after Hurricane Harvey first made landfall for the first time in the state of texas north of corpus christi. That was i was coming on airplane with i know we listed a lot of different cities houston Harris County port Arthur Beaumont and someone came up and said porter ranch is another area that is totally devastated. Will be finding places and maybe you have been heard their names. To put Hurricane Harvey and perspective the final the one of the fonts used in other areas of the eisen are 24,000 pastor dons and would supply the water for the raging niagara for 15 days but 50 inches fell in what really set us off was the 12 inches they came all at once on saturday night, last saturday. Upwards of 32 to 40,000 people were in shelters. The shelter that i spent from sunday to monday and was the george l. Brown a survivor working in the area of 10,000 people at one time. Both sections of houston and beaumont port arthur and other cities have been underwater. Hurricane harvey is a 1000 year storm and has been designated are indicated as the most significant Natural Disaster in the history of the United States , continental United States claimed the lives of at least 60 persons including a 30 fouryear best veteran of the Houston Police department and the family of six who lived in my Congressional District who died and my colleagues Congressional District with four children into grandparents while they were trying to evacuate their home in the community. Neither houston or any city nation has experienced flooding of this magnitude and thank you to the dye and First Responders and let me say to the federal government, the federal government was the umbrella on a rainy day. The Texas National guard armynavy marines volunteer some all over and Navy Volunteers but the average houstonian or texan or someone coming from colorado coming from arkansas where they came in boats all over they put those boats impaired tragedy struck at some of her volunteers were executed while they were trying to serve falling out of the boat and electrical wires were there so we have a long road to recovery. Im trying to my amendments will mention it and here it is very briefly to thank you for your courtesy and i look forward to us working together for this long recovery. I want to make mentioned as i said earlier that im certainly concerned about her our friends who may be in the eye of the storm of Hurricane Irma and that will not be their play. These are the things effort for my constituents. This is on the rules Committee Roster 51 under division b increases by 10 million funding to vendors and service childrens natures and program for School Lunches in males for one year providing for it is internally displaced persons. We believe theres concerned the resources may not be there to have a september feeding of children but i think what i heard as they are seeking the us lunch and dinner for individuals in need. Number 195 and number 52 increases by 109 funding in the National Tense Food Research and education activity to provide for internally displaced persons who are pregnant women and then send vulnerable children. The funds will support the purchase of baby formula milk to serial and staples to ensure the population of those internally displaced freeware finding out now is there our good intentions and bad intentions but have been in the newspapers i came up all people are being evicted from apartments mostly low income people and families in these apartments. Good intentions may be to clean the apartment of that with is said to them that they may not be habitable may be the case but if they are shown the road the city and county are trying to work on this issue so they are main thing that we are asking for are the elements ive just said which we are grateful to donors. This would be through period of time is the baby formula milk juice and those elements. Under number 53 increases by 10 million in funding to the Commodity Assistance Program particular dealing with food deserts and we have a lot of them because of the hurricane. Stores are just beginning to open. Under division amendment number 54 under division b will increase by 10 million in funding the supplemental noon to show Program Providing funding for returning displaced persons who are allowed under the Program Emergency Service Determination to purchase ready to eat foods from approved retailers such as pressure stores. They want to thank our food team and when i say that our restaurants and fast foods. We are now preparing foods but we realize we will need to buy that for people who are not in places where they can cook their own food. Jacksonlee amendment 191, 194 and the rules committee for s1 85 excuse me division h. Will increase by 30 million funding to the department of housing. Rental assistance providing additional funding for housing for internally displaced persons have lost their homes. Thats the extra people. They have been living but they are marginal individuals working hard and attending school but there are a apartments are not habitable and we are scrambling to look for places for them to go. This make sure the administrator can act as expeditiously as possible should additional personnel or resources as rescue and recovery is needed. I think i jumped over. One was the housing that was 30 million i jumped to number 120 and division e provides 50 million in Flexible Funding authority to give mr. To fame of the federal Emergency Management to address the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey. We need more staff and im sure the need of Hurricane Irma will be sent to that location and we are still in need of that. I want to make sure that i explained the difference. I was speaking about 185 division h is the one that would increase assistance for the department of housing tenant space rental assistance to provide additional funding for those who benefit did. Number 120 is the one for 50 million for more staffing for fema. I have an amendment that deals with the landgrant selfexplanatory and an amendment under division e for the landgrant under division b agriculture. Division e Homeland Security is an amendment this also selfexplanatory about the use of federal air marshals on and on International Flights from places that are of highrisk. That is amendment number 29 under division e. Jacksonlee amendment which is the most recent filed by me is without a location except under Homeland Security. It is a prohibition a prohibition not to use any funds made available to finalize implement and administer september 5, 2017 memorandum of the acting secretary of Homeland Security announced that attorney general which is to resist at june 15, 20 of memorandum entitled exercising prosecutorial discretion with respect to individuals who came to the United States as children. I just want to make a point that i did not hear all of his presentation but i think its important to note that doc is not been declared unconstitutional. If there is a pending action that is not been declared unconstitutional i want to make this point is a list of Hurricane Harvey. I am dealing with people who will not even come out for fema resources. The red cross resources. The individuals who died to worsen this and children who happen to be hispanic all hispanics are not immigrants and all hispanics are not undocumented but i believe it is an example of families in the area who would face these kinds of concerns. As much as we are, as much as we are talking about Immigration Reform right now my town cannot afford this kind of talk. Our College Students are frightened, our families are frightened and again let me be clear volunteers came from all backgrounds and im sure that those who came for immigrant and nonimmigrants saw it as a no funds be utilized in this legislation to appel this particular legislation for this particular statement memorandum of september 25, 2017 to pull back or have her rescission of june 15, 2012. The memorandum. Finally under division h, amendment number 29 per beds the secretary of housing and urban development make available to those receiving federal assistance for housing information regarding the responsibility and rights of the tenets which include information on how they clarification and information. This is important in the scheme of things dealing with the questions of the massive evictions that are going on. The apartments are under water but there have to be provisions by her local officials and city government. I represent the mayor that jacinto city along with my colleague of Harris County. They are working hard but they need to have cooperated the federal government and i appreciate them greatly. Finally under division e amendment 30 the congress that funds the Development Department of housing and urban development has a control and Healthy Homes Program Available for the control of Healthy Homes through certainly we have concerns about mold and certainly we dont know what impact the water would have and we want to make sure we have the necessary resources for it. This is including i think you can see, this is just an example of what is in front of maybe 30,000 or 40,000 homes in Harris County in houston. This happens to be humble texas and the mayor of humble we thank him very much mayor turner and mayor diaz the cities i represent. This is another example of property as well. This is a home that is completely gutted on the first floor. There are a lot of hugs being given to people who are in need. I ask my colleagues would consider the amendments i have offered and i believe i will yield back at this moment. I think the gentlelady for minutes. The gentlelady from North Carolina has joined us. I would invite you to be part of this family this panel. Make sure the green light is on and anything you have in writing we will take from you and make sure its part of the record and we welcome any comments you may have. Thank you mr. Chairman. I will be very brief that i do have an amendment that im offering very seriously in the sense that its paid for. Its within the ability of our body to adopt it on the floor and i hope as a Homeland Security bill and ideas to reallocate 704. 5 million for interior Immigration Enforcement in two directions. Direct 543 million two cbp so the agency can hire 2310 customs officers and allocate the remaining 161. 5 million to Homeland Security investigations. If i may or will briefly explain my reasoning. Im afraid under the Current Administration dhs has largely abandoned the commonsense common sense approach of prioritizing criminal or other dangerous aliens for removal. This is a policy hard one. Both parties have innate administration the committee when i was chairman it was something we felt that was very important to prioritize. Dangers people ought to be out of this country but we need to get away from a discriminating approach to Immigration Enforcement that im afraid we are going backwards backwards in that regard and utilizing this wide approach leading to a surge in immigration relating arrests that involve people with no criminal past at all. They do separate families and may cause a great deal of suffering and panic in our communities. This is not the time i believe to put huge new resources into Immigration Enforcement. We over the years believe may have put lots of, hundreds of millions of dollars into construction into the hiring of enforcement agencies and so on. Why we are doing that in this bill is really up for question or i hope it will be. More than 5000 detention beds another thousand i. C. E. Officers. I really dont leave that to good use of scarce taxpayer dollars. The number of i. C. E. Agents has tripled from fiscal 03 to fiscal 16 that i presided over good deal of that as Homeland Security appropriations chairman. There is not a need for 1000 more. I dont think the department could properly effect, hire and train that many people. There is a need though, there is a personnel need and it has to do with the positive trade in commerce of this country and that is the need to address cbps current scarcity of from wind staffing of the nations ports of entry. That is worth worthy of our attention and additional appropriations. Despite the fact cbp officers have been chronically understaffed at her nation supports this bill bill doesnt have money for that. Of that new money for that to address a shortage of nearly 3500 cbp officers. In 2016 cbp officers encountered 274,000 immigrants secured 600,000 pounds of illegal narcotics and over 62 million and currency all while processing over three and million legitimate and 2. 2 trillion dollars in legal imports at our land water and seaports. We are under staffing these ports of entry. They create long delays in passenger and commercial lanes as travelers and cargo as it leads to health and safety risk officers and decreases morale. Ask any of them. That is my idea and i would direct 500 43 million to cbp so they can hire an additional 2310 customs officers. Adequate cbp staffing is dated to cisco with a reduced long wait times in my memo would direct Homeland Security investigations. Hsi tech of some of her toughest security challenges including Human Trafficking prior testingg hsi work will do far more to keep our communities safe in our nation secure then arresting students Small Business owners religious leaders are under this other religious leaders who committed no other crime is seeking a better life. My amendment straightforward. It increases security while simultaneously increasing the flow of trade in commerce. I think that would qualify as a winwin and i urge that they made in order. I thank the gentleman. Mr. Kelly from is prepared to testify. Anything you have been writing google make sures a part of the record but we welcome any comments you might have. If you will press the microphone button and your green light is on. We have had problems with the microphone earlier tonight and we will see if you can make it work. Apparently its not going to stay low together. You are unaware that this is mr. Hastings 81st birthday so we dont want to hear any scuse is about how getting older make it harder for you. They must be cheap, not all just cheap. What would you like first mr. Chairman . If youll give us the division. I have amendment 60 division h amendment 87 to division e and i think that appears to be at. This amendment would prohibit the use of funds for fmcs a the federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration and to the national highway traffic Safety Administration to finalize their joint notice of proposed rulemaking mandating the use of speed limiting devices on heavyduty trucks. To support the proposal csa and nishka have focused on potential decrease in the severity of accidents however the severity of accidents is already trending downward as a matter of fact large trucks involved in fatal car crash rates has dropped 74 since 1980 mr. Chairman. Not clear if the mandate would further reduce these crashes. According to their own reports 74. 1 of truck involved crashes occur on noninterstates with speed limits and no post level so its going to be irrelevant. These are significant concerns for this mandate max would increase the number of accidents. Studies have consistently shown higher vehicle speed increases accident risk. So speed limits create speed differentiates an interaction among these vehicles also increases so does the likelihood of more accidents. Speed limiters will necessitate more heavy not less heavyduty vehicles on the road to support current demand which is continually increasing. And of course the more trucks for more interaction and more accident risk. Former secretary fox counted the estimate of 1. 1 billion dollar fuel sables savings that would result ignoring the relative that more trucks using more fuel would be necessary to support current and man. We presume by limiting the speed nothing else is going to change. He becomes a static environment. The dynamic environment. We still need to move goods and services and moving them more slowly wont lessen demand. It will just spread the mamdouh. Finally the proposal disregards the authority of states to determine speed limits within their border. This states. Its why we have states mr. Chairman. A speed limiter increases safety the market poll incentivizes these of these devices however it is not the role of the federal government to mandate their use. Their findings dont support their claim and maybe its a good idea some time that there simply seems to be no reason to do this at this time. Accidents are actually decreasing and once again where the speed limiters are being used or would be proposed on interstate is where the accidents occur. With that mr. Chairman i would urge support of the amendment. I thank the gentleman. The 2nd amendment is on . Amendment 87 to division e. Please go ahead. This amendment denies funds to the department of Homeland Security tahrir for nice itself and reasserts congress was article i powers. Homeland security act of 2002 includes section 872 the authority for dhs to reorganize without prior authorization from congress. This authority was granted in the early days of the department to help facilitate its creation however the department has matured in the 14 years since its creation. Congress should authorize any reorganization prohibiting dhs from using funds to execute 872 authority would reassert congress is right and authorizing dhs organizational structure. The language used in this amendment is very similar to pass language used in prior appropriations. This amendment is consistent with an amendment including a markup of h. R. 2825 and dhs authorization act which passed the house in july. This amendment to h. R. 2825 which strikes section 8072 from the code. In july chairman mcauliffe and Ranking Member thompson said the y2k Preparations Committee urging it to take action to ensure no conflicting language exists between the dhs authorization bill and appropriations legislation. My amendment is a bipartisan Good Government issue by denying funding for section 872 congress will reassert its Proper Authority to authorize dhs structure and activities. Pages will be a stronger more Efficient Organization if congress fulfills its responsibilities and the American People have more confidence and dhs with a congress that is engaged and performs its authorize duties including that of oversight of their organization. With that i would urge passage of this as well and inclusion of this as well. Mr. Chairman i have another amendment. It doesnt have a number. Some regard to the vicissitudes of peace and i dont know under what section that would fall. I believe the gentlelady from North Carolina knows. This will be the fine one. The simina would illuminate the federal funding for the u. S. Institute of peace for the appropriate amount of spending reduction account. The u. S. Institute of peace is intended to be a nonpartisan independent National Institute funded by congress and a question on nonpartisan nature of the need for the federal government to fund it. Since the u. S. Institute of peace was in session 1940 the government is provided nearly 1 billion to the institute. I dont question the u. S. Institute of peace had assisted the department stayed usaid and the department of defense and the missions concerning the federal government continually give cu sip separate appropriation of over 35 million annually. Aside from the federal preparation to support salaries and programs able to raise millions of dollars of private funding and it does. Also concerns about the nonpartisan nature of the institute of peace that on january 26, 2016 and an episode of cspan the acting Vice President for middle east and African Center conducted a highly divisive partisan attack on then leading republican primary candidate donald trump and the Republican Party as a whole. Some of her more egregious statements include what trump is doing and this is a quote would trump is doing is inciting violence make no mistake about it. Efblood on his hands. This is a nonpartisan or Bipartisan Organization funded why taxpayers and quote trump another republican rhetoric have validated that type of violence against muslims. Giving an excuse to actually turn a negative rhetoric into violence unquote. Comments filed all of the Violent Attacks in San Bernardino and paris. To my knowledge no punitive action was taken against her and she continued to serve as the Vice President for middle east and African Center. I wrote a letter to the chairman of the board of directors and 2016 following that questioning him on her actions and if they represent the official views of United States funded by the taxpayers institute of peace and this undermines institutes bipartisan status and did ms. Omars comments were sold in punitive action and debate mr. Chairman . I havent received a response. I understand most of these agencies around washington dont feel the need to respond to congress, members of congress. Seems like a legitimate question that i sat there watching my tape it and watch it again to make sure i was correct. They dont feel any responsibility to members of congress. We are the peoples representatives. 35 million annually over a billion dollars over time. For what . I went up to the u. S. Institute of peace has participated in afghanistan and iraq and they will say we spend 1. 5 billion there and to cost 1 billion to extract troops out of these theaters of operation. Extracting troops that are fighting for freedom and supporting americas values and our interests abroad but its 1. 5 billion saved if we dont spend it on what seems to have offered very little overtime. Thats why i think its appropriate and by the way its also zeroed on the president s budget said the administration at this point has agreed to people say well mr. Perry you want to cut Government Spending. All i hear from the people as you want to cut Government Spending that you can never pick anything that you would cut. Here you have that mr. Chairman and with that i ask for its consideration i yield back. I thank the gentleman and i think all the panel and mrs. Jacksonlee you have a lot in your hands back home in your constituency. Volunteer service neighbor to neighbor and great local leadership. Mr. He would stay for one moment and make sure that veaux on that questions for you. Lots of good local leadership but im sure your folks that come know you have Strong National leadership as well and i thank you for being here with us while you are leading for them. [inaudible] just the example you set for all of us about how you handle the first of the i want it the gentlelady to know that my thoughts and prayers are here with her and the people she represents an i yield back. Thank you very much mr. Chairman and i associate myself with the remarks of my good friend from oklahoma and to ms. Jacksonlee i know its agonizing to be here and im in a similar category right now with irma needing to be there and im here but you have done a magnificent job as well as a governor and other colleagues that i have seen that are working. Its deeply appreciated by all of us. I do have a suggestion. Three terms ago our i offered legislation to utilize military bases when disasters occur and i would urge them as a matter fact the helicopter people railed against me and i got all sorts of hate mail. He told me i was creating concentration camps. I had no such intention. We do have other you utilize military bases. They can be used in the event of a disaster temporarily and they do have the facilities that will provide better than a convention for people to stay temporarily. You might want to contact the pentagon and see if they do have available facilities. My good friend mr. Price represents the port of palm beach. They issue that you raised even though its a small port raise the same questions about not having enough resources and customs and border control. A about the institute of peace, but i would urge that you give consideration, and i would agree with you about it one of the agencies that dont respond to congress. Ive written some letters to not just those off of the organizations, but our own organizations that dont respond. How about the president for example but has received no response and how about the pentagon and the state department, and im talking about in this cycle so we need to be careful about that. Whatever the woman said she should have been fired or disciplined but i dont think that you should take on the whole agency for the one and i recognize your overarching concern is the cost. But if you were to go through when we talk about waste, fraud and abuse, we use medicare and medicaid is a classic example of. I would ask you to give consideration to that and i understand your concerns. The gentleman from texas. I want to associate myself with the remarks in regards to the neighbors in houston and galveston and port arthur report and the places in between. I dont know how many times we voted to eliminate the institute for peace. In fact it used to be carried by our colleague whos no longer with us from new york i remember carrying this amendment. We have to preclude funding from several years ago so im glad you brought it to our attention again. To the extent that its funded with outside dollars thats great and we are all for it but the fact that we are funding it with taxpayer dollars is overtly partisan as it is. I meet our former colleague from georgia was in fact running the place at one time and left as well. You brought forth a good amendment thank you mr. Chairman and i would yield back. Thank you mr. Chairman. I want to echo the comments of doctor Stephen Hadley and i would like to get unanimous consent for the record a list of testimonials totally bipartisan by people like the admiral and former ambassadors in afghanistan and iraq about the important work. Before we take the step of saying we are going to hear about the funding i think we need to look at what theyve been able to do over the years in a situation that weve needed experts on the ground to be able to consolidate the gains and be able to build some sort of a political solution after weve been engaged in military conflict. It is uniquely situated to be able to do that, and its an important effort so i would ask before we take a move like zeroing them out, we look very closely at what theyve done and what people on both sides of the aisle have said about them. I didnt see the particular program that youre talking about as it did happen as they matured in the report she ought to be fired and there is no question about that but i dont think we ought to condemn the institute in an appearance like that one. The thing to do is ask for the report about what they are doing with our taxpayer money. Its about important work that is being done and should give some cause to see whether or not this is something that we need to continue especially as we see the reduced levels of funding elsewhere. I would just like to say that its only on his say that i would agree as much as i have this evening. I will yield back the balance of my time. This is going to be a long process particularly as we do with the other appropriations we will be dealing with this week. Its to help recover people with local officials i cant name all of the local officials but i will name the ones within my eyesight. Those in the jurisdiction i want to thank them very much and say people are hurting and we appreciate all of the assets of the federal government sent do down. Let me associate myself to mr. Price an and monday authorig committee and Homeland Security committee and i can assure you we felt very keenly at making sure we separate the staffing about the different into the different divisions of the department of Homeland Security. I think that hes right on with the customs efforts and we have Great Respect for the others but in the circumstances this is the utilization of dollars and as ive indicated we are hopeful and im going to use the term prayer full of the order doesnt stand up and that it stands down because you are creating massive fear in areas that have been deserving. We are talking about people that are waiting for the congress to do comprehensivcomprehensive imn reform. Ive introduced bills anybody here on the committee more time than i would like to say that its been a pretty long time and if we could come together and be more responsive to all the needs so i thank you all so very much. Thank you. This concludes this panel and we will convene with any nurse who seek to be heard. The gentleman from pennsylvania is here with us. I ask unanimous consent to their art and its all under the operations appropriations act. Such a wii also has an amendment under number 73. And amendment 72 to the transportation as well as. Without objection, the statements are part of the record. I have unanimous consent request on the amendment offered by mr. Richmond of louisiana from number 111 to be entered into the record and not to get ahead of our colleagues tha buto have to amendment under section g. But i would like to speak briefly about. If the gentleman would yield, you may have the floor. [inaudible] [laughter] i good vibes here on my birthday. Thank you all very much. I have an amendment i will be brief it is amendment 57 that adds 20 million to the Economic Support Fund and the essence of this is to provide humanitarian aid to peoples persecuted by isis and any of these groups as well. I wont go into detail. I asked my full statement be entered in the record. Amendment number 58 and 12 million to the Economics Fund to increase assistance to ethiopia and the Israeli Community to bring in ethiopia is now in the neighborhood of 141,000 i have seen as many of uv absorption into the community bs funds if allowed would go towards uplifting the people that are there to. Members of the rules committee thank you for your hard work especially during this busy week we are going to have a. As we all know the nation is reeling from an outofcontrol Opioid Epidemic and my district in western pennsylvania has been particularly hit hard with overdoses. Across the border in mexico the neighbor is suffering from massive levels of violence and murder mostly fueled by Drug Trafficking organizations and the violence levels are increasing. The initiative is a partnership between the United States and Mexican Government that combats drug cartels and crime and also helps to strengthen the Justice System by fostering the rule of law and human rights. It is a crucial step to healing the nation the United States and previous discussions with these types of programs. We are seeking to restore the levels. The base language keeps the funding level. Im seeking to transfer them into the funding to put it where it was in 2016. The problem is as i see it coming from east asia and south asia to this country is it coming from mexico or some other way . From mexico and coming directly into the United States. Do you think that these dollars would have an immeasurable impact on that . The need to rebuild or build institutions to the rule of law. The initiative has been helpful in guiding mexico towards for example. If mexico is to address the problems it has 130,000 people have been murdered by the cartel i think it warrants or engagement. I saw on the way up here was the last calendar year the opioid death in this country is 60,000, 20,000 being sent fentanyl related. This is an all hands on deck situation this caught my attention. It was a startling figure more than i had seen previously. I would urge not only that we addressed that subject but that we addressed the home of the lloyd situation and we prescribe over abundance of drugs and that is for another day on this amendment. Seeing no further questions if you could believe what you have been writing to make sure that becomes a part of the record. The committee will stand in recess subject to the call of the chair that is expected to be at the 10 00 hour to report at 10 p. M. [inaudible conversations] [inaudible conversations] [inaudible conversations] [inaudible conversations] should be back in about 40 minutes, 10 00 eastern tonight as they work on the rule for some of the final spending bills for fiscal year 2018. When they come back we will come back and bring you all of this live. In the meantime we will show you what took place on the floor of the senate today, the topic, b daca. I want to take a moment to acknowledge the devastation caused by Hurricane Harvey. They return and start their lives and i hope the senate will act quickly to help them to do so